Method and apparatus for applying an adhesive coating to cord fabric



Nov. 20, 1945. l. J. REMARK ET AL METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR APPLYING AN ADHESIVE v COATING TO CORD FABRIC Filed Jan. 1, 1943 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS Isadore J Rewmv-k Vaughn MWMeLeP BY W Wad ATTORNEYS Nov. 20, 1945. I. J. REMARK ET AL 2,389,459

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR APPLYING AN ADHESIVE COATING TO CORD FABRIC Filed Jan. 1, 1943 '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 7- Vice ATTORNEYS h/n T Wheeler VII/[Illll I/III INVENTORS Isadore J- Remrk Vaug .l ii

Nov. 20, 1945. l. J. REMARK ET AL 2,389,459

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR APPLYING AN ADHESIVE COATING TO CORD FABRIC Filed Jan. 1, 1943 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Pi. 4L ii' iii 1 1 7. 1U

F V J 79 8/ F1 13 5; INVENTORS Isadore J Remark 82 Vaughn V: heeler 90 BY ZWLM 74 27 14' I ATTOENEYS ET AL 2,389,459 FLYING AN ADHESIVE FABRIC 1943 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 REMARK TUS FOR AP T0 CORD d Jan. 1.

l. J. METHOD AND APPARA GOA I G ICN I zz

IZ E Nov. 20, 1945.

Isadore a Reifaark Vaughn V1 Wheeler BY W 2 677 ATTORNEYS Isadore J. Remark V Vaughn VT Wheeler By aim w f" wt ATTORNEYS Nov. 20, 1945. l. J. REMARK ET AL ,389,459

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR APPLYING AN ADHESIVE COATING TO CORD FABRIC Filed Jan. 1, 1945 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 l NVENTO RS Isadore J Remark Vaughn V: Wheeler W We.

ATTORNEYS Nov. 20, 1945. l. J RE ET AL 2,389,459

\ METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR APPLYING AN'ADHESIVE COATING TO CORD FABRIC Filed Jan. 1, 1945 7 SheetsSheet 7 INVENTORS Isadore J1 Reina/wk Vaiughn V; Wheeler Patented Nov. 20, 1945 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR APPLYING AN ADHESIVE COATING TO CORD FABRIC Isidore J. Remark and Vaughn V. Wheeler, Akron, Ohio, assignors to The General Tire & Rubber Company, Akron, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application January 1, 1943, Serial No. 471,086

'7 Claims.

This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for applying an adhesive dip to tensioned fabric for use in making tires and other things. It has for its principal objects to provide an improved method and apparatus for applying a thin and uniform coating to the fabric while under considerable tension in order to insure superior adhesion between the fabric and subsequently applied rubber compounds.

In applying adhesive dips to fabrics such as rayon tire fabric, difficulty is experienced in-obtaining a thin, complete and uniform coating of the fabric for improving the adhesion between the subsequently applied rubber and the fabric.

This is particularly necessary where a substantial proportion of the rubber employed is reclaimed or synthetic rubber.

The present invention provides an improved method and means for obtaining these desirable results.

The present invention also provides a means of obtaining a high speed of operation in coating processes of the type in which the coating material is applied to the fabric in a dipping tank in the form of a solution, emulsion or dispersion.

With the above and other objects in view, a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings hereinafter described, and the invention is particularly set forth in the appended claims which are intended to include such variations and modifications of the preferred form as will be apparent to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains.

Reference should be had to the accompanying drawings forming a. part of this specification, in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section through an apparatus embodying the invention and showing the path of travel of the fabric through the dipping tank and drier to the windup reel:

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the mechanism for driving the pulleys in the top portion of the drier housing;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line indicated at 4-4 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line indicated at H in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line indicated at 8-4 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary front elevation of the lower portion of the drier housing viewed as indicated by the arrows in Fig. l and showing the main air circulating blower;

Fi 8 is a fragmentary front elevation of the upper portion of the drier housing viewed as indicated by the arrows 88 in Fig. 1 and showing the exhaust fan for withdrawing air from the drier housing;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line indicated at 9-9 in Fig. 1 and showing a third air circulating fan which is located adjacent the bottom of the drier housing intermediate its ends;

Fig. 10 is a top plan view of the drier housing showing the air ducts and dampers in the upper portion of the housing;

Fig. 11 is a vertical section taken on the broken line indicated at lI-ll in Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a'vertical section taken on the line indicated at l2-I2 in Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a vertical section taken on the line indicated at [3-43 in Fig. 11;

Fig. 14 is a vertical section taken on the line indicated at l4l l in Fig. 11;

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary central vertical section on an enlarged scale through the dipping tank and the adjacent end of the drier housing;

Fig. 16 is a section taken on the line indicated at lG-IG in Fig. 15;-

Fig. 17 is a fragmentary vertical section showing the hanger for the movable partition in the drier housing;

Fig. 18 is a section taken on the line indicated at l8-l8 in Fig. 1'7;

Fig. 19 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on the line indicated at Iii-I9 in Fig. 16;

Fig. 20 is a, front elevation of the dipping tank, a portion of the tank being broken away to show the liquid circulating means;

Fig. 21 is a vertical section through the dipping tank taken on the line indicated at 2l-2l in Fig. 20;

Fig. 22 is a fragmentary horizontal section showing portions of the presser bars engaging the fabric;

Fig. 23 is a section taken on the line indicated at 23-28 in Fig. 22;

Fig. 24 is a fragmentary vertical section showing one of the tension applying pulleys and an adjacent fabric spreader roll;

Fig. 25 is an end elevation partially in section of one of the spring pressed bearings of a tension pulley viewed as indicated at 25-25 in Fig. 24;

Fig. 26 is a section taken on the line indicated at 26-46 in Fig. 24;

Fig. 27 is a vertical central section on an enlarged scale showing scrapers applied to fabric pulleys at the upper ends of the radiant ovens;

Fig. 28 is a section taken on the line indicated at 23--23 in Fig. 27;

Fig. 29 is a sectional view showing the scraper associated with the lower pulley of the second radiant oven; and

Fig. 30 is a vertical section showing a modification in which a plurality of runs for the fabric through the housing to a suitable wind-up reel 4.

A sewing machine 6 such as commonly used for the purpose may be provided adjacent the reel for joining the ends of successive rolls of fabric to the continuous strip being fed through the apparatus, or such ends may be secured by clamping means or cementing or by other means used in the art for that purpose. The fabric strip is fed from the reel I over suitable tensioning rollers 6 and over a guide roller 1 into a dipping tank 3 and under guide rollers 3 mounted in the tank 3 adjacent the bottom thereof. The fabric passes upwardly fromthe tank 3 between a pair of presser bars l3 and between a pair of air jet pipes into an aperture l2 formed in an upwardly oflset por-' tion of the bottom wall of the housing 3 directly above the tank 3.

The interior of the housing 3 is divided into separate passageways or compartments by a series of transverse vertical partitions. Two of these partitions l3 and I4 are located on opposite sides of the opening l2 and form the side walls of an elongated vertically disposed radiant oven I6. Partitions l3 and 4 carry infra-red lamps |6 which are closely spaced throughout the length and width of each partition, and which are provided with reflectors to direct the light rays horizontally against the surfaces of the vertically moving strip of fabric. The partition I3 is spaced from the rear end wall of the housing3 to provide a passage |1 between the partition I 3 and the end wall through which air may be circulated to cool the reflectors of the lamps I6.

A second pair of transverse partitions l3 and I3 form the side walls of a second radiant oven 23, the partitions l3 and i9 having infra-red lamps 2| similar to the lamps IS. The partition I! is spaced from the partition H to provide a vertical air passage 22 between the two radiant ovens l6 and 23. A fifth partition 24 is spaced from the partition l3 to provide a vertical air passage 26 between the radiant oven,23 and the partition 24and to provide a convection oven 23 in the forward end portion of the housing 3. By maintaining a flow of air through the passages 22 and 26 excessive heating of the reflectors of lamps 3 and 2| may be prevented. Fabric passing upwardly through the radiant oven |6 passes over a pulley 21 adjacent the top of the housing 3 and over a pulley 23 at the upper end of the radiant oven 23. The fabric passes downwardly from the pulley 23 through the oven 23 and under a pulley 23 at the bottom thereof. Thus in passing through the oven |6 "the strip of fabric is subiected to the rays of the lamps |3 acting simultaneously upon the opposite surfaces thereof, and in passing through the oven 23 the fabric is subjected to the heat of the lamps 2| mounted in the partitions l3 and 3.

The fabric passes from the pulley 23 through an aperture 32 in the partition 24 into the convection chamber or oven 23. A series of pulleys 2,8 seats 33 are mounted adjacent the bottom of the oven 23 and a series of pulleys 34 are mounted adjacent the top thereof. The fabric passes under the first pulley 33 up to the top of the oven over the first upper pulley 34, thence downwardly to the second lower pulley 33, the fabric passing upwardly Ov t e p r pulleys 34 and downwardly under the lower pulleys 33 to provide a series of closely spaced vertical runs within the oven 26. The number of vertical runs in the oven 26 is sufflcient to maintain a length of fabric in the oven 26 considerably in excess of the length of fabric in the ovens I6 and 23, so that the heat treatment in the oven 23 is for a longer period of time than the initial heat treatment in the ovens i6 and 23.

From the last of the lower pulleys 33 the fabric passes out through an aperture 35 in the rear end wall of the housing under a pulley 36, and thence upwardly over pulley 31 at some distance above the pulley 33, downwardly under a pulley 33 adjacent the pulley 33 and horizontally through tension rollers 33 to the wind-up reel 4 which is driven by suitable means such as electric motor 43. The vertical run provided by the pulleys 33, 31 and 33 outside the housing provides an inspection run, a lamp 4| being mounted behind the fabric strip with its reflector disposed to direct the rays of light through the fabric, so as to enable an inspector to readily see defects in the fabric such as unevenness in cord spacing or lack of uniformity in the rubber coating.

To keep the fabric moving uniformly through the drier housing under substantial tension and to avoid the application of excessive localized tension to the fabric, certain of.the pulleys, preferably those in the upper portion of the housing, are power driven. The driv for the pulleys is best shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings in which an electric motor 42 is shown driving a sprocket chain 43 which drives the pulley 21, a sprocket chain 44 which drives the pulley 23 from the pulley 21, and a sprocket chain 46 which drives sprockets 41 which are mounted on shafts 43 mounted on the outside of the housing 3 directly above the pulleys 34 and which serve to drive the pulleys 34 through variable speed driving connections which will now be described.

A grooved pulley 43 on each of the shafts 43 is mounted to rotate with the sprockets 41 on the same shaft and drives a belt 63. Each of the belts 63 is engaged by a tightener 63a and runs over a driving pulley composed of two relatively adjustable disks 6| and 62 which have conical faces 63 and 64 engaging the opposite side faces of the belt. The disk 6| has an elongated hub 66 and the disk 62 has a hub 63 which fits upon the hub 65. The two disks are connected to rotate' in unison by keys 61 on the hub 66 which engage keyways in the hub 66. A spring 33 is interposed between the disks 6| and 62 and tends to press the two disks apart, The hub 66 projects beyond the end of the hub 63 and is screw threaded to receive a threaded hand whee1 63 which engages the end of the hub 63 to force the disk 62 toward the disk 6| against the action of the spring 63. Each pulley formed by the disks 6| and 62 is mounted upon a projecting shaft 30 of one of the pulleys 34 and the pulley formed by the disks 6| and 62 is normally constrained to rotate with a disk 3| which is keyed to the shaft 33. The disk 3| carries a friction shoe 32 which engages the disk 6| and presses against the disk 6| by means of a screw 33 which has threaded engagement with a nut 34 which is slidably mounted in a bore 55 in the shaft 88. The inner end of the screw 88 has a reduced round portion 85 which is journaled in the shaft 58 at the bottom of the bore 85. The outer end of the screw 88 projects beyond the outer end of the shaft 88 and is journaled in a bearing 81 which fits in the open end of the bore 85-. The nut 84 has projections 58 which extend through radial slots 68 in the shaft 68 and engage with the hub of the disk 6|. The projecting ends I8 of the screws 83 are squared to receive a suitable tool so that they can be turned to advance the nuts toward the disks and apply pressure to the friction shoes 82, so that the shafts .68 and pulleys 34 are driven by the belts 58 through slip connections provided by the friction shoes 52. By adjusting the hand wheel 58 the disks 53 and 54 can be moved apart or closer together to cause the belt 58 to engage the conical faces 5| and 52 on a smaller or larger diamwhich vaporizes most of the water contained in the emulsion or solution absorbed by the fabric. The fabric then passes into the convection oven 28 where it is subjected to heat treatment for a period of time considerably longer than that "consumed in the passage through the radiant ovens. In order to more rapidly dry the fabric, means is provided for withdrawing the vapor laden air from the upper ends of the radiant ovens, and in order to prevent excessive heating of the partition walls and of the lamp reflectors,

air is circulated through the vertical passages 22, I1 and 25 between and on opposite sides of the radiant ovens. In order to maintain a high temperature in the convection oven 28, means is provided for circulatingheated air through this chamber, and in order to avoid waste of heat the air from the passages 22, I1 and 25 is preferably passed through the convection oven 28,

The air circulating and controlling devices are best shown in Figs. '7 through 14 of the drawings. As shown in Figs. 1 and '7, a blower I8 is mounted at the forward end of the housing 3 adjacent the bottom thereof, has its inlet connected to draw air from the interior of the housing, and delivers air through passage 14 straddling the housing and opening into opposite sides .tbereof adjacent the bottom, the air from the blower I3 being delivered into the housing through suitable heaters 18 which may be regulated to maintain the desired temperature within the oven 28. The fan I8 draws air from the interior of the housing 3 adjacent the top thereof through an inlet passage 15 within the housing. Adjacent the top of the housing 8 adjacent its forward end is mounted a suction fan 11 which has its inlet connected to three pipes I8, I8 and 88, which communicate with the interior of the housing 3. The pipes 18 and 88 open into the convection chamber 28 at the front end of the housing, while the central pipe I8 :extends.

through the housing along the top thereof across the top of the oven 28 and opens to the upper ends of the radiant ovens I5 and 28. The pipes 18, I8 and 88 are controlled by suitable dampers 18a, 18a and 88a exteriorly of the housing 8.

Within the housing 8 a pair of conduits 8| and 82 are mounted on opposite sides of the central conduit 18 and open at their forward ends into the convection oven 28, the outlet ends of the conduits 8| and 82 being controlled by suitable dampers 83 and 84. The conduit 82 has an extension which communicates with the upper end of the first air passage I1, and theextension 85 is controlled by a damper 88, The rear end of the conduit 8| is connected by a vertical pipe 81 to the second air passage 22, the flow from the passage 22 to the conduit 8| being controlled by a damper 88 in the entrance end of the conduit 8|. The pipe I8 has an inlet 88 opening to the upper ends of the radiant ovens I5 and 28 and the inlet 88 is controlled by a suitable damper 88. The pipe 18 also has an inlet 8| which opens to a chamber 82 at the upper end of the air passage 25, the inlet 8| being controlled by a suitable damper 88. The chamber 82 has an inlet 86 to the passage 25 which is controlled by a damper 81. The chamber 82 has an opening 88 to a vertical pipe .88 in the chamber 28 which extends downwardly to a suction fan I88 mounted on the floor beside the housing 8 adjacent the partition 24. The fan I88 has a discharge outlet I8I which delivers into the bottom of the oven 26 adjacent the partition 24, a short verti- -cal baffle I82 being provided to direct the air entering through the fan outlet III upwardly into the oven independently of the air entering through the heaters I8. Air enters theiower end of the radiant oven I5 through the opening I2 and into the lower end of the passage I! through an opening I88 in the lower end of the part1 tion I8. Air enters the lower ends of the vertical air passages 22 and 25 and the lower end of the radiant oven 28 through an opening I84 in the side wall of the housing '8, the lower ends of the partitions I8 and I8 being spaced from the floor of the housing 8 to permit free passage of air from the opening I84 into the oven 28 and passage 25.

In the normal operation of the drier, air from the radiant ovens I5 and 28 is drawn through the pipe 18 to the suction fan 11, while air from the passages I1, 22 and 25 is drawn through the pipes 8| and 82 to the vertical pipe 88, and through the blower, I88 to the oven 25. By suitable regulation of the dampers, however, part of the vapor laden air from the radiant ovens may be circulated through the convection oven or part of the air passing through the vertical air passages may be discharged to the atmosphere with the vapor laden air from the radiant ovens. During normal operation the air from the ovens I5 and 28 is discharged to the atmosphere and air from passages I1, 22 and 25 is circulated through the oven 28, dampers 83 and 85 will be closed and dampers 86, 88, 88 and 81 may be regulated to control the relative rate of air flow in the radiant ovens and air passages. If it is desired to discharge all air from the radiant ovens I5 and 28- As bestshown in Figs. 15 through 19, the partition I3 may be mounted for movement bodily within the housing 3 to widen the space between the partitions I3 and I4 sufficiently to enable an operator to gain access to the lamps mounted in the two partitions. As shown in the views above referred to, the partition I3 is suspended from a pair of hangers I05 which are attached to the webs of H bars I08 which are attached to opposite side edges of the partition I6. The hangers I05 carry grooved rollers I 01 at their upper ends which are mounted to roll on horizontal rails I08. The partition is moved bodily from its operative position toward the rear wall of the housing by means of upper and lower screws I09 and M0, the screws I09 and I I being horizontally preferably mounted in the same way as the partition I3 to afford access to the lamps 2 I.

As best shown in Fig. 19, a, sealing bar H3 is attached to each of the H bars I08, the bar II3 being provided with a flange I I4 which carries a sealing strip II 5 which is engageable with a vertical angle bar II8 attached to the adjacent side wal1 of the housing 3 when the partition I3 is in its operative position. The H bars I06a of the partitions I4 are attached to vertical angle bars II8a attached to the walls of the housing 3.

As best shown in Figs. and 21 of the drawings, the guide rollers I over which the fabric is guided into the dipping tank 8 is mounted on standards II I which are carried by L-shaped arms II 8 which are attached at their lower ends to a pivot shaft II9 joumaled in a'suitable base member I20. When the arms II8 are in operative position, the portions thereof which are attached to the shaft II9 are substantially vertical and the portions thereof to which the standards II! are attached are disposed horizontally and extend over the rear edge of the tank 8. A handle I2I is fixed to the shaft II9 so that the L- shaped frame members II8 may be swung about the axis of the shaft II9 by means of the handle I2I. Movement of the pivoted frame in a forward direction is limited by means of a lug I22 on the handle I2I which carries a set screw I 23 engageable with the base I20. The forward limit of movement of the handle I2I and frame H8 is determined by the adjustment of the set screw I23 and this is the operative position in which the free end portion of the L-shaped arm II 8 projects horizontally over the edge of the tank 8. In order to hold the arms H8 in their operative position and against rearward swinging movement hooks I24 pivoted to the base I20 are engageable with pins I25 0n the arms I I8. The free ends of the arms II8 have downwardly extending arms I 20 rigidly attached thereto and the arms I20 provide supports for the guide rollers 9 within the tank 8. When the arms II 8 are released by releasing the hooks I 24, they may be swung rearwardly to lift the rollers 9 out of the tank 8 to a position clear of the tank to permit cleaning of the rollers.

. As best shown in Fig. 21, the presser bars I0 are attached to angle bars I2'I which are carried by horizontal pivots I28. Vertically extending arms I 29 are attached to the pivots and these arms are connected by a spring I30 which serves to press the bars I0 against the upwardly moving strip of fabric. The bars I0 may be provided with rounded corners, as best shown in Fig, 23, and these bars pressing against the fabric issuing from the tank serve to wipe off and squeeze out excess liquid during passage of the fabric and return the liquid to the tank.

As best shown in Figs. 20 and 21, the parallel horizontal air pipes II are supplied with air under pressure from a supply pipe I3| which has branches I32 to the pipes II which are located directly above. the presser plates I0. Each of the pipes II has a narrow elongated slot I33 which is so positioned as to direct a stream of air against the fabric directly above the point of engagement of the bars I0 with the fabric. The action of the air jets and of the presser bars prevents the carrying of excess liquid into the drier housing so that only a thin coat of the dip is left on the surface of the cords which are under substantial tension during the dipping operation.

The presser bars I0 wipe off the excess liquid on opposite side faces of the fabric and the air blasts directed against opposite sides of the fabric at the point of engagement of the bars I0 forces excess liquid from between the cords so that by the combined action of the air blasts and the presser bars the cords are completely coated with a thin film of adhesive material but liquid in excess of that necessary to provide the desired adhesion is expelled. By this method the amount of adhesive material applied to the fabric is only that which isrequired to provide the individual cords with the thin uniform coating necessary for strong adhesion with the subsequently applied rubber compounds.

As best shown in Fig. 20, the dipping tank 8 has a partition I34 below the rollers 9 which extends across the tank 8 a short distance above its bottom, but which terminates short of the opposite ends of the tank. Liquid is circulated through the tank 8 by means of a propeller I35 at the end of a bearing tube I36 attached to an electric motor I3'I which is attached to an end wall of the tank 8 by means of a bracket I38, the propeller I35 being attached to the shaft of the motor. Rotation of the propeller I35 maintains a constant movement of liquid endwise of the tank beneath the partition I34 and sufllcient movement of the liquid over the partition to maintain the suspension during the dipping operation.

In order to prevent distortion of the fabric strip during heat treatment, the fabric is engaged by a spreader roller I40 adjacent lower guide pulleys in the housing 3. Each spreader roller I40 is provided with helical ribs HI and I42 of opposite angularity. extending from the center thereof towards the ends. The engagement of the ribs HI and I42 with the fabric strip serves to exert lateral tension on the fabric and hold the strip fiat.

The lower pulleys 29 and 33 are preferably idler pulleys and some or all of the bearing blocks I43 for these pulleys may be resiliently held in place so that they may yield if the fabric is subjectedto abnormal or dangerous tension. As best shown in Figs. 24 and 25, each take-up pulley is mounted in bearing blocks I43 which are movable vertically in guide members I 44 secured to the base of the housing. The bearing blocks I43 are pressed downwardly by coil springs I45 which are disposed above the blocks with their lower ends engaging the blocks and with their upper ends seated in inverted externally threaded cup shaped members I46 which are screwed into cap plates I41 secured to the tops of the guide members I44. By adjusting the cup shaped members I46 in the cap plates I41, the tension of each spring I45 may be increased or decreased. The springs I45 serve to maintain the bearing blocks I43 in their bottom position during normal operation. If for any reason the tension on the fabric strip becomes abnormally great the tension in the fabric is relieved by vertical movement of the lower rollers and compression of the springs I45. The vertical movement of the lower pulleys upon tightening up of the fabric may be utilized to stop-the drivingmotors and cut off the heating lamps whenever an excessive tension is applied to the fabric. As shown in Fig. 25, a suitable stop switch I 48 may be. mounted on one of the guide members I44 adjacent one of the bottom pulleys and this switch is provided with an arm I49 provided with a roller I56 which is engaged by a collar on the shaft of pulley 29 upon a predetermined upward movement of the pulley.

The first guide pulleys engaged by the fabric strip in its passage through the housing 3 contact with the fabric before the coating is dried to a non-tacky state and it is therefore desirable that means be provided to prevent adhesion of the fabric to these pulleys and to keep these pulleys clean. In the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, this is accomplished by chilling the pulleys 21 and 26 by circulating water through them so that they will condense moisture on their surface from the vapor laden atmosphere of the cabinet. This condensation is then scraped from the pulley surface thus leaving a clean, chilled pulley having a slight moist film to which neither the fabric nor material from it will-adhere to the pulley surface.

Asshown in Fig. 6 of the drawings, the pulley 21 is a hollow cylinder which has a tubular shaft 12 extending through the wall of the housing 3, the bore of the shaft 12 being of sufficient diameter to receive a water pipe 12a through which water may be delivered to the interior of the pulley. As shown in Fig. 2, the pulley 28 is constructed in a manner similar to the pulley 21.

As shown in Figs. 27 and 28 of the drawings, the pulley 21 is engaged by a scraper I5I which is attached to a pivot shaft I52 which has an arm I53 at one end thereof provided with a set screw I54, at its free end which engages with a bar I55 attached to a side wall of the housing. The arm I53 is preferably outside the housing 3. The'scraper I5I is formed of resilient sheet metal and is held against the pulley 21 by means of the arm I53. Adjustment of the set screw I54 varies the pressure exerted by the scraper I5I against the surface of the pulley 21. A suitable pan I56 is placed beneath the scraper I5I to catch material scraped from the pulley. The second guide pulley 28 disposedat the top of the radiant oven 26 is provided with a similar scraper I51 and a suitable pan I66'is mounted beneath the scraper I51 to catch the material scraped off the surface of the pulley 26.

As shown in Fig. 29, the pulley 29 may be provided with a scraper 29a and a pan 29b may be mounted to catch the scrapings.

Fig. 30 of the drawings shows a modification of the invention in which the fabric is guided 5 down adjacent the partition I6 in the oven 26 to subject one face of the fabric to the heat of the lamps carried by the partition I6, upwardly to the top of the oven 26 and downwardly adjacent thepartition I9 to, subject the opposite sides of the fabric to the heat of the lamps carried by ,the partition I9. At the bottom of the oven 26 done by providing a sprocket chain I66 froma sprocket I61 on a drive shaft I66 and running 'over a sprocket on the shaft of the pulley IN and a sprocket chain I69 to the pulley I62.

The fabric passes under a third pulley I16 at the bottom of the oven 26 and from the'oven- 26 to the oven 26. The pulley I16 may also be driven by the. chain I69. A scraper I1I engaging'the pulley I16 and a pan I12 beneath the scraper may be provided. A pair of pulleys I13 and I14 may be provided at the top of the oven 26, a collecting pan I15 may be mounted beneath the pulleys I13 and I14, and scrapers I16 and I11 may be mounted to engage the two pulleys.

The high vapor content of the atmosphere within the ovens is utilized to assist in preventing accumulations of adhesive material on the guide pulleys. The chilling of the pulleys 21 and 28 causes moisture to continuously condenseupon the surfaces of the pulleys and this moisture tends to soften any adhesive material transferred from the fabric to the surfaces of the pulleys and to lessen the adhesion of such material to the pulley so that transfer of adhesive material from the fabric to the pulley is lessened. Also the mixture of liquid condensate and adhesive mate-.1

rial on the surface of the pulley is more easily removed by the scraper.

It is to be understood that the pulleys 29, IN, I62, I16, I13, and I14 shown in Figs. 29 and 30 may also be water cooled.

In treating fabric by the method of the present invention a suitable water emulsion or dispersion of casein with natural or synthetic latex or rubber is pr v d d in th dipp n tank e. The fabric dip contains a suitable wetting agent to increase its wetting of the fabric. The rubber content may include a substantial proportion of synthetic and reclaimed rubber. Other solutions, emulsions or dispersions, preferably with a wetting agent in small amount, also may be used. With dips employing casein, the prolonged heat treatment after drying appears to advantageously change.

the characteristics of the material.

The fabric in passing through the dipping tank I absorbs several times its weight of emulsion. For example, it has been found that tire fabric weighing about 1.3 lbs. per running yard will absorb approximately its own weight of water together which serves to rapidly vaporize the water absorbed by the fabric, and the rapid evaporation and withdrawal of the vapor laden air from the radiant ovens serves to keep the temperature within a safe limit. After passing through the radiant ovens, the fabric with most of the moisture expelled therefrom passes into the convection oven where the air is maintained at a temperature of about 300 F. to complete the drying and heating action. The drying and heating of the rubber causes the dip to be firmly bonded to the fabric and, in the case of tire fabric, the rubber applied subsequently by calendering adheres very firmly to the fabric. The method of the present invention is advantageous for treating various types of fabric, such as the cotton fabric commonly used in pneumatic tires and is particularly advantageous in the case of rayon fabrics used in tires, since difficulty has heretofore been experienced in obtaining sufiiciently strong adhesion between the rubber and fabric.

The use of infra-red lamps is advantageous because the energy of the infra-red rays is converted into heat at the surface of the fabric because of the dark color of the dip. During passage through the radiant oven l5, heat is very rapidly consumed by-evaporation of water so that a large amount of heat may be applied without subjecting the fabric to a temperature high enough to cause damage. The current to the lamps 2| in the second radiant oven may be regulated so that the heat input is less rapid than in the oven l5.

A serious difficulty in drying of dipped fabric is the tendency of the heated tacky coating to adhere to the guide pulleys, particularly the pulleys first engaged by the fabric after passing through the dipping tank. In the present invention this difficulty is greatly reduced by the rapid evaporation of moisture in the oven l5 by the lamps it which greatly reduces the tackiness of the coating before the fabric contacts the pulley 21. The tendency of the pulleys 21 and 28 to pick off coating material from the surface of the fabric is further reduced by the chilling of these pulleys which causes condensation of moisture on the surfaces of the pulleys, the moisture serving to reduce adhesion and enabling the pulley surfaces to be kept clean by the scrapers. By the use of the infra-red lamps and chilled pulleys satisfactory operation at high speed is made possible.

It has been found that in order to obtain strong adhesion of the rubber to the fabric it is necessary to subject the rubberized fabric to heat for a period of time after the moisture has been evaporated. In passing through the convection oven 26 the fabric is subjected to substantially uniform heat for a period of time considerably greater than the time Of passage through the radiant ovens. This final heating completes the drying and effects a firm bond between the coating material and fabric.

The arrangement of heating compartments or ovens enables the dipping and drying operation to be performed at a high rate of speed. Since the time of passage of the fabric through a compartment or oven is a function of the speed of travel and the distance traveled, it follows that the speed of travel of the fabric through the dipping tank and ovens of the present invention is dependent somewhat upon the lengths of the passages through the various ovens. While the rapid input of heat in the radiant ovens permits an increased speed of travel, it will be apparent that lengthening of the ovens II and II will permit of greater speed of travel of the fabric. In an installation now in operation which corresponds substantially to the installation herein illustrated, the height of the housing 3 is about twenty-eight feet and the speed of travel of the fabric is from 40 to 60 feet er minute. The time of passage through the radiant ovens I5 and 20 is a small fraction of the time required to pass through the convection oven 28.

It is to be understood that variations and modifications of the specific devices herein shown and described for purposes of illustration, may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What we claim is:

1. The method of applying a thin coating of an adhesive containing rubber to spaced cords in sheet form which comprises applying a liquid emulsion containing rubber in suspension to the moving cords, scraping surplus liquid from the sides of the cords, and projecting a jet of air against each side of the sheet of cords at an angle to the sheet and in a direction counter to the cord movement and at the point of scrap ing to remove surplus liquid from between the cords at the same time that the surplus liquid is scraped from the sides thereof.

2. The combination with means for applying a surplus of liquid material to spaced cords arranged in sheet form, a. pair of scrapers yieldingly held against opposite sides of the sheet of cords in substantially opposed relation and means for applying a stream of air against opposite sides of the sheet at substantially the same point of contact of said scraper blades with said cords to force surplus material from between the cords and along the cords in a direction opposite to their direction of movement.

3. The combination with a tank adapted to apply liquid to a moving sheet of spaced cords of a pair of space blades arranged at an acute angle with respect to the sheet of cords and contacting said cords at opposite sides of the sheet under yielding pressure, said scraper blades extending generally in the direction of movement of the cords, tubular means for ap lying a stream of air against opposite sides of the cords and in a reverse relation with respect to the direction of movement of the cords whereby air is forced between the cords at the point of contact of said scraper blades with said sheet of cords to remove surplus material from between the cords during travel of said cords by the said scraper blades.

4. The method of coating cords with a thin layer of adhesive containing rubber which consists in applying a surplus of an aqueous emulsion containing rubber to a moving sheet of spaced cords, removing surplus material from the sides of the cords by a scraping action and simultaneously removing surplus material from between the cords at the point of application of said scraping operation by means of a simultaneously applied stream of air which drives said surplus material along the cords in a direction opposite to their direction of movement.

5. The method of treating cords with an adhesive material containing rubber which consists in applying a surplus of the adhesive material in liquid form to the cords, while traveling in sheet form, removing the surplus material from the sides and from betweenthe cords during their movement, heating said material to vaporize liquid from the cords and passing the cords over a chilled guide roller that is subjected to the vapor removed from said cords by the heating step to thereby condense said vapor on the surface of said guide roll, removing the condensate from the surface of the roll by a scraping action and collecting the liquid condensate.

6. In a process of applying an adhesive coating containing rubber to a cord tire fabric, the step which comprises of preventing adhesion of material carried by the cords to a guide roller which consists in subjecting the guide roller to an atmosphere laden with aqueous vapor, chilling the guide roll sufllciently to condense vapor from said atmosphere on the surface of said guide roll and scraping the condensate from the surface of said roll during movement of the fabric over said guide roller.

7. The method of preventing objectionable deosits of dipping material on the surface of a 

